Dishes with a twist for charity dinner

Tokara’s Delicatessen in the Cape. The big charity event will be held there on Friday, February 9. The restaurant is headed up by multi-award-winning chef, Richard Carstens.

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AT THE centre of the Cape winelands lies the Simonsberg mountain, a fynbos-rich massif, home to exceptional vineyards since the 17th century. It’s here on the southern slopes, with unrivalled views over False Bay to Table Mountain, that the Tokara Estate is situated, with its lush vineyards, olive groves and its award-wining restaurant, headed up by multi-award-winning chef, Richard Carstens.

Renowned for producing exciting contemporary cuisine, Carstens has, for the last few weeks, been hard at work designing a dinner menu for the 400 guests at this year’s American Express Friday Night Barrel Auction – the precursor to the Cape Wine Auction sponsored by Nedbank Private Wealth – which will be held in Tokara’s Delicatessen on Friday, February 9.

Says Cape Wine Auction organiser Darielle Robertson: “Richard has planned an amazing ‘Harvest Table’ which will feature a stunning range of dishes that take full advantage of local and seasonal produce, and which will pair well with the award-winning wines we will be serving on the evening.”

Adds Carstens: “As a team we feel honoured to be part of this prestigious event, and the menu showcases what we offer at Tokara, reflecting local producers and seasonal produce.”

So what is on the menu for those fortunate enough to be there?

A taste of things to come.

For starters, the tables will be heaving with a variety of breads: baguettes, sorghum and fynbos sourdough, seeded loaf, bread sticks and crackers, along with marinated Tokara olives and tapenade; and charcuterie with homemade preserves, pickles and chutneys.

for the vegetarian guests – roast marinated field mushrooms with spinach, almond cheese and vegan “parmesan”.

Diners will be spoilt for choice with side dishes that include: tomato and grain salad with buffalo mozzarella and black garlic; potatoes with herbs and crème fraiche; roast carrots with almond and honey; seasonal figs with almonds, fennel and grapes; baby marrow and squash with parmesan, Tokara olive oil, garlic and lemon.

For those with a sweet tooth and room to spare, dinner will be rounded off with a selection of homemade nougat, seasonal fresh fruits, cheeses with preserves, seed crackers, almond and olive oil polenta squares and nuts and dried fruit.

A selection of award-winning wines from a number of estates will be served to accompany each course.

This year, tickets for The Cape Wine Auction and Friday Night Barrel Auction – an annual highlight on the Western Cape social calendar to raise money for educational projects – were sold out in record time and organisers are hoping to beat last year’s R22,3 million that was raised and distributed.